Tankmates: Fine with medium to large peaceful fish (over ~8 cm); avoid fin-nipping or very aggressive tankmates.
Feeding: Poor eyesight and slow to find food; target feed so faster fish do not take everything. Some never accept pellets.
1–0 of 0
The ropefish looks like a small snake or eel, but it's a fish: a long, olive-brown relative of the bichirs from West Africa, with a row of tiny dorsal finlets along its back. Also sold as reedfish or snakefish, it weaves through plants and driftwood, pokes its head out of caves and gulps air from the surface. There's no common Malay name for it, so local sellers simply call it ropefish.
Ropefish are peaceful towards fish they can't swallow, which makes them one of the gentler "monster" fish. They suit keepers who enjoy oddball fish and can provide a long, escape-proof tank. FishyHub lists ropefish from Malaysian sellers, with prices in RM.
| Care point | Guide |
|---|---|
| Temperature | About 24–29°C. Malaysian room temperature (26–31°C) suits them; aerate in hot spells. |
| Minimum tank | 4 kaki (120 cm, about 230–270 L) for adults; juveniles can start in 3 kaki (about 155–180 L). |
| Adult size | Around 30–40 cm, sometimes more. |
| Temperament | Peaceful, often sociable with other ropefish; eats small fish and shrimp. |
| Diet | Bloodworm, earthworms, prawns, sinking carnivore pellets. |
| Beginner-friendly? | Fairly hardy, but needs a secure tank and careful feeding. |
Ropefish are famous escape artists. They can squeeze through gaps around filter pipes, cable cut-outs and lid hinges, and because they breathe air they can travel some distance out of water before drying out. Before you buy:
Give them a soft sand bottom, plenty of caves, pipes and driftwood, and some planted or floating cover. They are more active in dim light and at night. Ropefish have poor eyesight and are slow feeders, so make sure food reaches them before faster fish eat it all. Sinking foods placed near their hiding spot work well. Small tankmates such as neon tetras, guppies or shrimp may be eaten.
Treat tap water with anti klorin, as Malaysian tap water is chlorinated. Ropefish, like many scaleless or thin-scaled oddballs, can be sensitive to strong ubat ikan, so use medications carefully.
Check the size, whether the photo shows the actual fish, and that it's eating. Look at the seller's location, delivery or self-collect options and live-arrival terms. Ropefish are moderately priced in RM, with larger fish costing more. If you're in Sabah or Sarawak, ask the seller about delivery first. Jangan lepaskan ikan ke sungai: never release a ropefish into a drain or river.
Ropefish makan cacing darah, cacing tanah, udang dan pelet karnivor yang tenggelam. Ia makan perlahan, jadi pastikan makanan sampai kepadanya.
Boleh. Ropefish pandai menyelinap keluar melalui celah kecil. Guna penutup yang rapat dan tutup semua lubang di sekeliling paip penapis.
Yes, with peaceful fish too big to swallow, such as larger gouramis, angelfish or other ropefish. Avoid aggressive fish that may bully them.
Browse ropefish from Malaysian sellers with prices in RM. Also see knifefish and our full monster fishes range for more unusual fish.
No products found
%20fish%20(Erpetoichthys%20calabaricus)1757164322314.jpeg?signature=130d307c7e564229eab5cd04b3fbdcbf7082b3963fb96d371ce1b39767ebc621)
